X-47B Completes Successful Deck Handling Trials

Northrop Grumman on Wednesday announced the successful completion of a series of deck handling trials with its strike-fighter sized X-47B unmanned combat air system aboard the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier.

The deck handling trials were completed in preparation for the first live carrier landings of the X-47B planned for later this year. Rockwell Collins allowed Northrop Grumman to test out the compatibility of its airborne high data rate, long-range communication links Tactical Targeting Network Technology (TTNT) with the X-47B unmanned demonstrator.

TTNT adds significant airborne network capacity, helping Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Navy prepare to introduce unmanned aircraft to carrier operations. The X-47B is scheduled to perform its first carrier operations later this year. More